Processing For Distinguishing Pen Gestures And Dynamic Self-Calibration Of Pen-Based Computing Systems

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media process and distinguish user input device gestures, such as gestures input via a pen in a pen-based computing system, e.g., to quickly and reliably distinguish between electronic ink entry, single taps, double taps, press-and-hold actions, dragging operations, and the like. Systems, methods, and computer-readable media also are provided for dynamically calibrating a computer system, e.g., calibrating a displayed input panel view based on input data recognized and received by a digitizer. Such systems and methods may operate without entering a dedicated or special calibration application, program, or routine.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and is a division of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/500,479, filed Jul. 9, 2009, entitled,“PROCESSING FOR DISTINGUISHING PEN GESTURES AND DYNAMIC SELF-CALIBRATIONOF PEN-BASED COMPUTING SYSTEMS,” which claims priority to and is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/101,647, filed Apr.8, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,577,925, the contents of both of which arehereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to systems, methods, andcomputer-readable media with computer-executable instructions storedthereon for processing and/or distinguishing various pen gestures fromone another, e.g., in pen-based computing systems. Additional aspects ofthis invention relate to systems, methods, and computer-readable mediafor dynamically self-calibrating computer displays, digitizers, and/orinput systems, for e.g., pen-based computing systems.

BACKGROUND

Typical computer systems, especially computer systems using graphicaluser interfaces (GUIs), are optimized for accepting user input from oneor more discrete input devices, such as a keyboard for entering text,and a pointing device, such as a mouse with one or more buttons, foroperating the user interface. An example of such a GUI is the userinterface for the Windows™ computer operating system (available fromMicrosoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.). The ubiquitous keyboard andmouse interface provides for fast creation and modification ofdocuments, spreadsheets, database fields, drawings, photos, and thelike.

Recently, however, pen-based computing systems, such as tablet PCs,personal digital assistants, and the like, have been increasing inpopularity. In pen-based computing systems, user input advantageouslymay be introduced using an electronic “pen” or stylus (e.g., akin towriting with a conventional pen or pencil on a piece of paper). Indeed,in at least some pen-based computing systems, all user input is capableof being entered and manipulated using a pen, and the user interface isfully controllable using only the pen.

In at least some pen-based computing systems and the like, the pen inputdevice is called upon to perform multiple different tasks, such asentering electronic ink, tapping icons or other objects (akin to aconventional left mouse button click), double tapping icons or otherobjects, initiating press-and-hold actions (akin to a conventional rightmouse button click), moving icons or other objects, targeting on iconsor other objects, resizing objects, and the like. These tasks may beaccomplished by performing various different “gestures” using the pen.In order to avoid having the user enter data to tell the computer whattype of input he/she is intending to enter before entering it, pen-basedcomputing systems have developed algorithms that allow the system to“automatically” determine the intended type of input before, during,and/or after the input is being entered. In many situations, however,improving the pen-based computing system's ability to correctlyrecognize one or more types of system gestures will degrade its abilityto quickly or correctly recognize other pen operations or gestures,sometimes even very basic pen operations or gestures.

For example, when attempting to recognize a pen “tap” gesture (akin to amouse click action), one of the main factors evaluated by at least somepen-based computing systems relates to the amount of pen movement duringthe pen-down gesture that potentially constitutes the tap (e.g., thesystem has a threshold parameter indicating the amount of distance thepen is allowed to “skid” or move during a gesture while still having thesystem recognize the gesture as a tap). Often, particularly when peoplecasually tap the pen down on the digitizer surface, the pen will skid ormove a substantial amount during those few milliseconds while it is incontact with the digitizer. If the computing system were to simply startgenerating “mouse move” messages corresponding exactly to every penmovement action during a pen-down event (i.e., if the parameters forrecognizing a “tap” gesture did not allow any pen movement in the X or Ycoordinate directions during a tap), an icon (or other object) in a menuor other display region may be made to move (e.g., by activating a dragoperation) instead getting clicked, such that the icon (or other object)would change position rather than getting selected. Such strict inputthreshold parameters would make it difficult to perform a tap gesture,which would be very frustrating to users.

Therefore, conventional pen-based computing systems include thresholdparameters and tolerances that attempt to produce correct input gesturerecognition despite the fact that the user's input may have beensomewhat “sloppy” or less than ideal. For example, in commerciallyavailable pen-based computing systems that operate Microsoft™ Windows XPTablet PC Edition Version 2002, when a “pen-down” event occurs, thesystem waits and does not generate “mouse move” events for a short timeperiod after the pen comes in contact with the digitizer surface. Aftera few milliseconds, the system will be more likely to correctlydetermine whether the pen is going to continue traveling (e.g.,consistently in one direction more than a predetermined threshold amountif the user is entering ink or dragging an object), or whether the penwill quickly stop moving or not move (e.g., thereby representing a “tap”gesture). As soon as the correct gesture is recognized (or believed tobe recognized), e.g., based on one or more predetermined or presetthreshold parameters, the previously delayed mouse move events may besent, if necessary, and the processing may continue based on thisgesture recognition.

Accordingly, pen input and gesture recognition in at least some existingpen-based computing systems evaluate various input characteristicsduring a pen-down event, and by balancing the different inputcharacteristics against one another, the type of input is recognized(either correctly or incorrectly), and this input then is acted on bythe system. If an operating system wanted to allow users to be able toinput very sloppy taps (e.g., with substantial pen movement or skid) andstill recognize that input gesture as a tap, then the operating systemalso would have to wait longer to make a decision as to whether aparticular input gesture constitutes a “tap” gesture or a “drag” gestureor an ink input gesture, because the pen may move in the same generalway during a sloppy tap vs. during ink entry and/or during a dragoperation. The sloppier the tap input gesture that is allowed, thelonger the recognition delay time period needs to be. On the other hand,this extended delay results in a perceived latency when the user doesnot intend to make a tap gesture. More specifically, when users intendto enter electronic input ink or perform a dragging operation, the usermay feel as if the system is freezing briefly, almost as if the systemis not capable of keeping up with the user input, because the systemdelays to determine whether a sloppy tap was input rather than the inkor drag input. Therefore, this “balancing act” can degrade the qualityof drawing and dragging operations and the user's experience withpen-based computing systems.

The “tap” vs. ink entry and/or dragging operations are not the onlygesture operations that may cause recognition delays in pen-basedcomputing systems. For example: (a) improving the pen-based computingsystem's ability to correctly recognize double taps degrades its abilityto correctly recognize consecutive single taps on closely spaced iconsor objects (and vice versa); (b) improving the pen-based computingsystem's ability to correctly recognize “press-and-hold” gesturesdegrades its ability to correctly recognize ink entry and/or draggingoperations (and vice versa); and (c) improving the pen-based computingsystem's ability to improve targeting activities degrades its ability torecognize ink entry and/or dragging operations (and vice versa). Whilethe Microsoft™ Windows XP Tablet PC Edition Version 2002 madesignificant efforts to strike the right balances and provide suitablethreshold parameters for recognizing these different types of input andgestures, improved gesture recognition ability and/or improved speed ofcorrect gesture recognition would further enhance the pen-basedcomputing system user's experience and would be a welcome addition to anoperating system.

Pen-based computing systems also have “calibration” issues, issues thatare not experienced with at least some other types of computing systems.For example, due to mechanical limitations relating to pens, displays,and digitizers, the digitizer hardware typically reports interaction penpositions (e.g., X,Y coordinates) that do not exactly match the locationon the display where the visual target is located (e.g., this may occurbecause the display device that generates the visual target is differentand independent from the digitizer device used to recognize the locationof pen during input interaction). Other sources of calibration issuesmay include, for example: electromagnetic noise caused by hard drivesand/or power supplies, sensitivity characteristics of the digitizerhardware (e.g., the digitizer's sensitivity may change with temperature,elevation, humidity, etc., such that its behavior does not stabilizeuntil after a “break-in” period, and correct, perfect calibration is notpossible from the factory due to this “break-in” period, etc.), and thelike. To correctly interact, the user must touch the pen down at thedigitizer location where the digitizer believes the icon or object to belocated, irrespective of where the icon or object actually exists on thedisplay screen. If the difference between the visual position of thetarget on the screen and the required digitizer interaction position onthe digitizer is small, the user typically will not notice any problemand everything will work in the manner it should. However, in practice,this difference can be quite significant. As a result, a user may bephysically pointing to and interacting with one location on the displayscreen, but he/she actually may be interacting with an offset locationin the system as recognized by the underlying digitizer. This differenceespecially may manifest itself during tasks of “fine targeting,” such aswhen a user attempts to resize an input panel by dragging the panel'sedge, when a user attempts to click on a small icon, button, or otherobject, such as the maximize, restore, or close buttons on an inputpanel, or the like.

Typically, these differences may be addressed using one or more“calibration” techniques, during which the pen position reported by thedigitizer hardware is adjusted based on expected user input andinteraction with a visual display during a calibration procedure.Examples of calibration procedures used for digitizers and/or otherhardware involved in pen-based computing systems include “linearization”calibration, “four-point” procedure calibration, and the like.

Pen-based computing system manufacturers also may perform calibrationprocedures on pen-based computing system hardware before it is shippedfor sale. For example, some manufacturers may fully calibrate a givenmachine coming off the assembly line (e.g., using a 256 pointcalibration procedure), and then they may use this same calibration dataon the next predetermined number of machines coming off the line (e.g.,perhaps the next thousand machines or more). While the limitations inextending the calibration data from one machine to other, independentmachines are readily apparent, it would cost too much in time delays toperform this complex calibration procedure on every machine coming offthe line. Other hardware manufacturers may do little or no actualcalibration and rely on the likelihood that their manufacturingprocedures have closely aligned the digitizer and the LCD screen and/orthat the underlying circuitry of the computing system will not generatesufficient noise to substantially disturb the actual user experience.The limitations inherent in these calibration procedures (or lackthereof) are readily apparent, and these procedures do nothing tocorrect for calibration drift that occurs over time and/or system noisegenerated by electronic components making up the system.

While many pen-based computing systems allow users to enter a“calibration mode” or program, such dedicated modes rely upon the user'sknowledge of the need for calibration and knowledge of the availabilityof such a mode or program. Moreover, the calibration activities andeffectiveness available in such modes can be relatively limited. Evenwhen conducted, these user-initiated calibration procedures typicallyare time-consuming, inconvenient, and temporary fixes. Accordingly,improved calibration procedures would be a welcomed addition topen-based computing systems.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods, andcomputer-readable media for processing and distinguishing user inputdevice gestures, such as gestures input via a pen in a pen-basedcomputing system. Such systems and methods, in accordance with at leastsome examples of this invention, may include: (a) running an applicationprogram on a computer system; (b) sending a gesture profile from theapplication program to an operating system of the computer system,wherein the gesture profile defines an expected input gesture type forat least a first portion of an input panel; and (c) setting at least onegesture recognition parameter for use when receiving user input (e.g.,entered via an input system, such as a digitizer or the like) directedto the first portion of the input panel based on the sent gestureprofile. Additional systems and methods according to at least someexamples of this invention may include: (a) running an applicationprogram on a computer system, wherein at least a portion of an inputpanel associated with the application program is displayed by thecomputer system, and wherein the input panel includes at least a firstinput portion and a second input portion; (b) receiving user inputthrough the input panel (e.g., input via a digitizer, etc.); (c)determining if the user input is directed toward one of the first inputportion or the second input portion; (d) sending a gesture profile fromthe application program to an operating system of the computer system atleast when it is determined that the user input is directed toward oneof the first input portion or the second input portion, wherein thegesture profile includes a first gesture profile when the user input isdetermined to be directed toward the first input portion, and whereinthe gesture profile includes a second gesture profile when the userinput is determined to be directed toward the second input portion; and(e) setting at least one gesture recognition parameter based on the sentgesture profile.

Aspects of the present invention also relate to systems and methods fordynamically self-calibrating a computer system, e.g., calibrating adisplayed input panel view with respect to input data recognized andreceived by a digitizer. Such systems and methods may include: (a)receiving plural user inputs directed toward a first target (e.g., viaan input system, optionally including a digitizer and/or displayscreen); (b) determining first offset data for at least some of theplural user inputs directed toward the first target (e.g., using acomputer processor system, such as one or more microprocessors), whereinthe first offset data indicates a difference in at least one of distanceor direction between a visual location of the first target (e.g., asshown on a display device) and a hardware location (e.g., on adigitizer) corresponding to the visual location of the first target; (c)receiving plural user inputs directed toward a second target (e.g., at acomputer processor system, such as one or more microprocessors); (d)determining second offset data for at least some of the plural userinputs directed toward the second target (e.g., using a computerprocessor system, such as one or more microprocessors), wherein thesecond offset data indicates a difference in at least one of distance ordirection between a visual location of the second target (e.g., as shownon a display device) and a hardware location (e.g., on the digitizer)corresponding to the visual location of the second target; (e)determining if the first offset data differs from the second offset databy more than a threshold amount (e.g., in distance and/or direction, forexample, using a computer processor system, such as one or moremicroprocessors); and (f) changing at least some calibration dataassociated with the second position, in at least some instances, whenthe first offset data differs from the second offset data by more thanthe threshold amount (e.g., using a computer processor system, such asone or more microprocessors). The various user inputs may be directed tothe various target regions and/or received by the input system withoutentering or activating a dedicated or special calibration application,program, or routine (e.g., an application, program or routine thatexpressly and/or solely requires user input for calibration purposes).

Additional systems and methods for dynamically self-calibrating an inputsystem may include: (a) collecting offset data based on plural userinputs directed toward plural portions of an input panel (e.g., using acomputer processor system, such as one or more microprocessors), whereinthe offset data indicates a difference in at least one of distance ordirection between a visual location of a target for an individual userinput (e.g., as shown on a display device) and a hardware location(e.g., on a digitizer) corresponding to the respective visual locationof the respective target for the respective individual user input, andwherein the plural user inputs are received without entering a dedicatedor special calibration application, program, or routine; (b) determiningwhether to change calibration data associated with at least one portionof the input panel and/or the digitizer based on the offset data (e.g.,using a computer processor system, such as one or more microprocessors);and/or (c) changing calibration data associated with a first portion ofthe input panel (e.g., using a computer processor system, such as one ormore microprocessors), e.g., when the offset data associated with thefirst portion of the input panel differs by more than a threshold amountfrom the offset data associated with one or more other portions of theinput panel.

Additional aspects of the invention relate to computer-readable mediaincluding computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performingvarious methods and/or operating various systems, including pen inputgesture processing and self-calibration systems and methods like thosedescribed above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be more readily apparent and more fully understood fromthe following detailed description, taken in connection with theappended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a general-purpose digitalcomputing environment in which certain aspects of the present inventionmay be implemented;

FIG. 2 illustrates a pen-based personal computing (PC) environment inwhich certain aspects of the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example input panel that helps illustrate variousfeatures of pen input gesture processing aspects according to thisinvention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates an example input panel that helps illustrate variousfeatures of self-calibration processing aspects according to thisinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described above, aspects of the present invention relate to systems,methods, and computer-readable media for processing and using inputinformation in pen-based computing systems, e.g., for better recognizinginput gestures and/or for better calibrating the system hardware. Thefollowing description is divided into sub-sections to assist the reader.The sub-sections include: Terms; General Description of Various Aspectsof the Invention; Example Hardware; Example Systems, Methods, andComputer-Readable Media According to the Invention; and Conclusion.

I. Terms

The following terms are used in this specification and, unless otherwisespecified or clear from the context, the terms have the meaningsprovided below:

“Ink” (also called “digital ink” or “electronic ink”)—A sequence or setof handwritten strokes. A sequence of strokes may include strokes in anordered form. The sequence may be ordered in any suitable manner, suchas by the time the stroke was captured and/or by where the strokeappears on a page. Other orders are possible. Electronic ink informationmay be stored in any desired manner, such as in an “ink serializedformat,” e.g., a format used for creating, storing, displaying, andmanipulating electronic ink data in the Microsoft™ Windows XP Tablet PCEdition Version 2002 operating system and/or the Microsoft™ WindowsJournal software application.

“Point”—Information defining a location in space. For example, a pointmay be defined relative to a capturing space (for example, points on adigitizer) and/or a display space (the points or pixels of a displaydevice). Points may be represented using a variety of known techniquesincluding two dimensional Cartesian coordinates (X, Y), polarcoordinates (r, .THETA.), three dimensional coordinates ((X, Y, Z), (r,.THETA., .rho.), (X, Y, t (where t is time)), (r, .THETA., t)), fourdimensional coordinates ((X, Y, Z, t) and (r, .THETA., .rho., t)), andother techniques as known in the art.

“Stroke”—A sequence or set of captured points. A stroke may bedetermined in a number of ways, for example, using time (e.g., a strokeis all points encountered by the stylus during a predetermined timeperiod or interval), using a predetermined number of points (e.g., astroke is all points 1 through X where X is predefined), or using styluscontact with the digitizer surface (e.g., a stroke is all pointsencountered by the stylus between a pen-down event and a pen-up event).When rendered, the sequence of points making up a stroke may beconnected with lines. Alternatively, a stroke may be represented as apoint and a vector pointing in the direction of the next point. Further,a stroke may be referred to as a simple list (or array or table) ofpoints. In short, a stroke is intended to encompass any representationof points or segments relating to ink, irrespective of the underlyingrepresentation of points and/or what connects the points.

“Pen”—Any type of user input device useful in entering electronic inkinto and/or otherwise manipulating or controlling an electronic documentand/or a computer operating system. The terms “pen” and “stylus” may beused interchangeably in this specification.

“Pen-Down Event”—An event that is initiated at the time a pen contacts adigitizer. Typically, a pen-down event will end at the time the penleaves the digitizer surface (also called a “pen-up event” in thisspecification).

“Hover”—Positioning or locating a pen proximate or adjacent to adigitizer surface but not in contact with the surface, irrespective ofwhether the pen is moving. No specific time period or cessation ofmotion at a particular location or position is necessary for an actionto constitute a “hover” action. For example, a “hover” may occur duringthe time period that a user continuously moves a pen toward and intocontact with a digitizer surface. A “hover” action also may be akin toplacement of a pointing device (such as a mouse's pointer) at a specificlocation in a display without “clicking” one of the mouse's buttons.

“Render” or “Rendered” or “Rendering”—The process of determining howgraphics (and/or ink) are to be displayed, whether on a screen, printed,or output in some other manner.

“Computer-Readable Medium”—any available media that can be accessed by auser on a computer system. By way of example, and not limitation,“computer-readable media” may include computer storage media andcommunication media. “Computer storage media” includes volatile andnonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any methodor technology for storage of information, such as computer-readableinstructions, data structures, program modules or other data. “Computerstorage media” includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flashmemory or other memory technology; CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD)or other optical storage devices; magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices; or any othermedium that can be used to store the desired information and that can beaccessed by a computer, but such computer storage media do not includessignals. “Communication media” typically embodies computer-readableinstructions, data structures, program modules or other data in amodulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transportmechanism, and includes any information delivery media. The term“modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of itscharacteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode informationin the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communicationmedia includes wired media, such as a wired network or direct-wiredconnection, and wireless media, such as acoustic, RF, infrared and otherwireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be includedwithin the scope of “computer-readable media.”

II. General Description of Various Aspects of the Invention

A. Processing for Distinguishing User Input Device Gestures

Aspects of the present invention relate to methods, systems, andcomputer-readable media for processing and distinguishing various userinput device gestures from one another, e.g., pen gestures in apen-based computing system. Such methods may include: (a) running anapplication program on a computer system; (b) sending a gesture profilefrom the application program to an operating system of the computersystem, wherein the gesture profile defines an expected input gesturetype for at least a first portion of an input panel for the applicationprogram, wherein the expected input gesture type includes at least onemember selected from the group of: an exclusive expected input gesturetype, an excluded input gesture type, a preferential expected inputgesture type, and a non-preferential expected input gesture type; and(c) setting at least one gesture recognition parameter for use whenreceiving user input directed to the first portion of the input panelbased on the sent gesture profile. Optionally, the gesture profile maybe sent by the application program in response to user input directedtoward or received at the first portion of the input panel. Methods inaccordance with at least some examples of the invention may be used torapidly process and recognize user input and still correctly distinguishbetween various potential gestures or actions.

Exclusive expected input gesture types for the first portion of theinput panel in accordance with at least some examples of this inventionmay include at least one member selected from the group of: exclusivetap input and exclusive electronic ink input. Preferential expectedinput gesture types for the first portion of the input panel inaccordance with at least some examples of this invention may include atleast one member selected from the group of: preference for a tap inputover electronic ink input, preference for a tap input over a draggingoperation input, preference for a single tap input over a double tapinput, preference for a tap input over a press-and-hold operation input,preference for a single tap input directed toward two separate inputpanel portions over a double tap input directed toward a single inputpanel portion, preference for a press-and-hold operation input overelectronic ink input, preference for a press-and-hold operation inputover a dragging operation input, and preference for electronic ink inputover other input gesture types (e.g., press-and-hold, tap, double tap,drag, etc.). Excluded input gesture types for the first portion of theinput panel in accordance with at least some examples of this inventionmay include at least one member selected from the group of: electronicink input not possible, tap input not possible, double tap input notpossible, a press-and-hold operation input not possible, and a draggingoperation input not possible. Non-preferential expected input gesturetypes for the first portion of the input panel in accordance with atleast some examples of this invention will indicate that the particularportion of the screen in question (i.e., the first portion of the inputpanel, in the examples above) will not be designated as preferentiallyreceiving any specific type of input data gesture (e.g., this portion ofthe input panel then may have its input gestures processed in aconventional manner, with the normal or default system gesturerecognition parameters, without preference for recognizing any one ormore types of input gestures as compared to others).

In at least some examples of this invention, additional gestureprofiles, e.g., profiles corresponding to additional portions of theinput panel, may be sent from the application program to the operatingsystem. These additional gesture profiles may include expected inputgesture type information, e.g., information relating to one or more ofthe various expected gesture types described above. Like use of thegesture profile described above, the second gesture profile may be usedby the operating system to set at least one gesture recognitionparameter for use when receiving user input directed toward the secondportion of the input panel.

Additional aspects of this invention relate to gesture input recognitionprocessing methods (e.g., for pen input in a pen-based computing system)that may include: (a) running an application program on a computersystem, wherein at least a portion of an input panel associated with theapplication program is displayed by the computer system, and wherein theinput panel includes at least a first input portion and a second inputportion; (b) receiving user input through the input panel; (c)determining if the user input is directed toward one of the first inputportion or the second input portion; (d) sending a gesture profile fromthe application program to an operating system of the computer system atleast when it is determined that the user input is directed toward oneof the first input portion or the second input portion, wherein thegesture profile includes a first gesture profile when the user input isdetermined to be directed toward the first input portion, and whereinthe gesture profile includes a second gesture profile when the userinput is determined to be directed toward the second input portion; and(e) setting at least one gesture recognition parameter based on the sentgesture profile. Again, the gesture profile and/or the expected gestureinput types may take on the various forms described above.

Additional aspects of this invention relate to systems for receivingand/or processing gesture input (e.g., input via a pen in a pen-basedcomputing system). Such systems may include: (a) an input system forreceiving user input (e.g., a digitizer, a display screen, etc.); and(b) a processor system programmed and adapted to: (i) run an applicationprogram, (ii) receive a gesture profile from the application program,wherein the gesture profile defines an expected input gesture type forat least a first portion of an input panel for the application program,wherein the expected input gesture type includes at least one memberselected from the group of: an exclusive expected input gesture type, anexcluded input gesture type, a preferential expected input gesture type,and a non-preferential expected input gesture type, and (iii) set atleast one gesture recognition parameter for use when receiving userinput directed to the first portion of the input panel based on thegesture profile. Again, the gesture profile and/or the expected gestureinput types may take on the various forms described above.

Still additional aspects of this invention relate to other systems forreceiving and/or processing gesture input (e.g., input via a pen in apen-based computing system). Such systems may include: (a) an inputsystem for receiving user input; and (b) a processor system programmedand adapted to: (i) run an application program, (ii) render at least aportion of an input panel associated with the application program,wherein the input panel includes at least a first input portion and asecond input portion, (iii) determine if the user input is directedtoward one of the first input portion or the second input portion, (iv)receive a gesture profile from the application program at least when itis determined that the user input is directed toward one of the firstinput portion or the second input portion, wherein the gesture profileincludes a first gesture profile when the user input is determined to bedirected toward the first input portion, and wherein the gesture profileincludes a second gesture profile when the user input is determined tobe directed toward the second input portion, and (v) set at least onegesture recognition parameter based on the gesture profile. Again, thegesture profile and/or the expected gesture input types may take on thevarious forms described above.

Additional aspects according to the invention relate computer-readablemedia including computer-executable instructions stored thereon forprocessing gesture input, including computer-executable instructions forperforming various gesture processing methods and operating variousgesture processing systems, including the various systems and methodsdescribed above.

B. Dynamic and/or Self-Calibration Processing

Other aspects of the present invention relate to methods, systems, andcomputer-readable media for dynamic and/or self-calibration processing,e.g., in pen-based computing systems. Such methods may include: (a)receiving plural user inputs directed toward a first target; (b)determining first offset data for at least some of the plural userinputs directed toward the first target, wherein the first offset dataindicates a difference in at least one of distance or direction betweena visual location of the first target on a display device and a hardwarelocation on a digitizer corresponding to the visual location of thefirst target; (c) receiving plural user inputs directed toward a secondtarget; (d) determining second offset data for at least some of theplural user inputs directed toward the second target, wherein the secondoffset data indicates a difference in at least one of distance ordirection between a visual location of the second target on the displaydevice and a hardware location on the digitizer corresponding to thevisual location of the second target; (e) determining if the firstoffset data differs from the second offset data by more than a thresholdamount; and (f) changing at least some calibration data associated withthe second position, in at least some instances, when the first offsetdata differs from the second offset data by more than the thresholdamount. The various user inputs may be directed to the various targetregions and received by the input system without entering or activatinga dedicated or special calibration application, program, or routine(e.g., an application, program, or routine expressly and/or solelyrequiring user input for calibration purposes).

Additional aspects of this invention relate to methods, systems, andcomputer-readable media for dynamic and/or self-calibration processingthat include: (a) collecting offset data based on plural user inputsdirected toward plural portions of an input panel, wherein the offsetdata indicates a difference in at least one of distance or directionbetween a visual location of a target on a display device for anindividual user input and a hardware location on a digitizercorresponding to the respective visual location for the respectivetarget for the respective individual user input, and wherein the pluraluser inputs are received without entering a dedicated or specialcalibration application, program, or routine; (b) determining whether tochange calibration data associated with at least one portion of theinput panel based on the offset data; and/or (c) changing calibrationdata associated with a first portion of the input panel, e.g., when theoffset data associated with the first portion of the input panel differsby more than a threshold amount from the offset data associated with oneor more other portions of the input panel.

At least some systems for dynamically and/or self-calibration processingin accordance with examples of this invention may include: (a) an inputsystem, including a digitizer, for receiving user input directed towarda first target located or displayed at a first position of an inputpanel and for receiving user input directed toward a second targetlocated or displayed at a second position of the input panel; (b) adisplay device for displaying at least a portion of the input panel; and(c) a processor system programmed and adapted to: (i) determine firstoffset data for at least some of the user input directed toward thefirst target, wherein the first offset data indicates a difference in atleast one of distance or direction between a visual location of thefirst target on the display device and a hardware location on thedigitizer corresponding to the visual location of the first target, (ii)determine second offset data for at least some of the user inputdirected toward the second target, wherein the second offset dataindicates a difference in at least one of distance or direction betweena visual location of the second target on the display device and ahardware location on the digitizer corresponding to the visual locationof the second target; (iii) determine if the first offset data differsfrom the second offset data by more than a threshold amount, and (iv)change at least some calibration data associated with the secondposition, in at least some instances, when the first offset data differsfrom the second offset data by more than the threshold amount. The userinput directed toward the first target and utilized in this system maybe entered and/or received without entering a dedicated or specialcalibration application, program, or routine.

Still additional systems for dynamic and/or self-calibration processingin accordance with examples of this invention may include: (a) an inputsystem, including a digitizer, for receiving user input directed towardplural portions of an input panel; (b) a display device for displayingat least a portion of the input panel; and (c) a processor systemprogrammed and adapted to: (i) collect offset data based on the userinput, wherein the offset data indicates a difference in at least one ofdistance or direction between a visual location of a target on thedisplay device for an individual user input and a hardware location onthe digitizer corresponding to the respective visual location of therespective target of the respective individual user input, and whereinthe user input is received without entering a dedicated or specialcalibration application, program, or routine, and (ii) determine whetherto change calibration data associated with at least one portion of theinput panel based on the offset data. Again, the calibration dataassociated with a portion of the input panel may be changed, e.g., whenthe offset data associated with that portion of the input panel differsby more than a threshold amount from the offset data associated with oneor more other portions of the input panel.

Additional aspects of the invention relate to computer-readable mediaincluding computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performingvarious self-calibration methods and/or operating variousself-calibration systems, including systems and methods like thosedescribed above.

III. Example Hardware

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a general-purpose digitalcomputing environment that can be used to implement various aspects ofthe present invention. In FIG. 1, a computer 100 includes a processingunit 110, a system memory 120, and a system bus 130 that couples varioussystem components including the system memory 120 to the processing unit110. The system bus 130 may be any of several types of bus structuresincluding a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and alocal bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory120 may include read only memory (ROM) 140 and random access memory(RAM) 150.

A basic input/output system 160 (BIOS), contains the basic routines thathelp to transfer information between elements within the computer 100,such as during start-up, is stored in the ROM 140. The computer 100 alsomay include a hard disk drive 170 for reading from and writing to a harddisk (not shown), a magnetic disk drive 180 for reading from or writingto a removable magnetic disk 190, and an optical disk drive 191 forreading from or writing to a removable optical disk 199, such as a CDROM or other optical media. The hard disk drive 170, magnetic disk drive180, and optical disk drive 191 are connected to the system bus 130 by ahard disk drive interface 192, a magnetic disk drive interface 193, andan optical disk drive interface 194, respectively. These drives andtheir associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage ofcomputer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, andother data for the personal computer 100. It will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art that other types of computer-readable mediathat can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magneticcassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoullicartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs),and the like, may also be used in the example operating environment.

A number of program modules can be stored on the hard disk drive 170,magnetic disk 190, optical disk 199, ROM 140, or RAM 150, including anoperating system 195, one or more application programs 196, otherprogram modules 197, and program data 198. A user can enter commands andinformation into the computer 100 through input devices, such as akeyboard 101 and pointing device 102 (such as a mouse). Other inputdevices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad,satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices areoften connected to the processing unit 110 through a serial portinterface 106 that is coupled to the system bus 130, but they also maybe connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, ora universal serial bus (USB), and the like. Further still, these devicesmay be coupled directly to the system bus 130 via an appropriateinterface (not shown).

A monitor 107 or other type of display device also may be connected tothe system bus 130 via an interface, such as a video adapter 108. Inaddition to the monitor 107, personal computers typically include otherperipheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers. Inone example, a pen digitizer 165 and accompanying pen or stylus 166 areprovided in order to digitally capture freehand input. Although aconnection between the pen digitizer 165 and the serial port interface106 is shown in FIG. 1, in practice, the pen digitizer 165 may bedirectly coupled to the processing unit 110, or it may be coupled to theprocessing unit 110 in any suitable manner, such as via a parallel portor another interface and the system bus 130 as is known in the art.Furthermore, although the digitizer 165 is shown apart from the monitor107 in FIG. 1, the usable input area of the digitizer 165 may beco-extensive with the display area of the monitor 107. Further still,the digitizer 165 may be integrated in the monitor 107, or it may existas a separate device overlaying or otherwise appended to the monitor107.

The computer 100 can operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer109. The remote computer 109 can be a server, a router, a network PC, apeer device or other common network node, and it typically includes manyor all of the elements described above relative to the computer 100,although for simplicity, only a memory storage device 111 has beenillustrated in FIG. 1. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 1include a local area network (LAN) 112 and a wide area network (WAN)113. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices,enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the Internet, usingboth wired and wireless connections.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 100 is connectedto the local area network 112 through a network interface or adapter114. When used in a WAN networking environment, the personal computer100 typically includes a modem 115 or other means for establishing acommunications link over the wide area network 113, such as theInternet. The modem 115, which may be internal or external to thecomputer 100, may be connected to the system bus 130 via the serial portinterface 106. In a networked environment, program modules depictedrelative to the personal computer 100, or portions thereof, may bestored in the remote memory storage device.

It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are examplesand other techniques for establishing a communications link between thecomputers can be used. The existence of any of various well-knownprotocols such as TCP/IP, Ethernet, FTP, HTTP, UDP, and the like ispresumed, and the system can be operated in a user-server configurationto permit a user to retrieve web pages from a web-based server. Any ofvarious conventional web browsers can be used to display and manipulatedata on web pages.

Although the FIG. 1 environment shows an exemplary environment, it willbe understood that other computing environments also may be used. Forexample, one or more examples of the present invention may use anenvironment having fewer than all of the various aspects shown in FIG. 1and described above, and these aspects may appear in variouscombinations and subcombinations that will be apparent to one ofordinary skill.

FIG. 2 illustrates a pen-based personal computer (PC) 201 that can beused in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. Any orall of the features, subsystems, and functions in the system of FIG. 1can be included in the computer of FIG. 2. The pen-based personalcomputer system 201 includes a large display surface 202, e.g., adigitizing flat panel display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD)screen, on which a plurality of windows 203 is displayed. Using stylus204, a user can select, highlight, and write on the digitizing displayarea. Examples of suitable digitizing display panels includeelectromagnetic pen digitizers, such as pen digitizers available fromMutoh Co. (now known as FinePoint Innovations Co.) or Wacom TechnologyCo. Other types of pen digitizers, e.g., optical digitizers, may also beused. The pen-based computing system 201 interprets gestures made usingstylus 204 in order to manipulate data, enter text, and executeconventional computer application tasks, such as creating, editing, andmodifying spreadsheets, word processing programs, and the like.

The stylus 204 may be equipped with buttons or other features to augmentits capabilities. In one example, a stylus 204 could be implemented as a“pencil” or “pen”, in which one end constitutes a writing portion andthe other end constitutes an “eraser” end, and which, when moved acrossthe display, indicates portions of electronic ink on the display thatare to be erased. Other types of input devices, such as a mouse,trackball, keyboard, or the like also could be used. Additionally, auser's own finger could be used for selecting or indicating portions ofthe displayed image on a touch-sensitive or proximity-sensitive display.Consequently, the term “user input device,” as used herein, is intendedto have a broad definition and encompasses many variations on well-knowninput devices.

In various examples, the system provides an ink platform as a set of COM(component object model) services that an application program can use tocapture, manipulate, and store ink. The ink platform also may include amark-up language including a language like the extensible markuplanguage (XML). Further, the system may use DCOM as anotherimplementation. Yet further implementations may be used including theWin32 programming model and the .Net programming model from MicrosoftCorporation. These platforms are commercially available and known in theart.

In addition to use with full performance pen-based computing systems or“tablet PCs” (e.g., convertible laptops or “slate” type tablet PCs),aspects of this invention may be used in conjunction with other types ofpen-based computing systems and/or other devices that accept data aselectronic ink and/or accept electronic pen or stylus input, such as:hand-held or palm-top computing systems; personal digital assistants;pocket personal computers; mobile and cellular telephones, pagers, andother communication devices; watches; appliances; and any other devicesor systems that include a monitor or other display device and/or adigitizer that presents printed or graphical information to users and/orallows input using an electronic pen or stylus.

The invention now will be described in conjunction with the remainingfigures, which help illustrate various example features and aspects ofthe invention and help explain the invention. The specific figures andinformation contained in this detailed description should not beconstrued as limiting the invention.

IV. Example Systems, Methods, and Computer-Readable Media According tothe Invention

A. Processing for Distinguishing User Input Device Gestures

As described above, aspects of the present invention relate generally tosystems and methods for processing input gestures from a user inputdevice, e.g., from a pen in a pen-based computing system. FIG. 3illustrates an example display of an input panel 300 generated by anapplication program running on a pen-based computing system. Variousdistinct portions of the input panel are shown in FIG. 3, namely, iconsA through D, which may receive mouse button click and/or pen tap input,and the form portion 302, which may receive keyboard (hard or soft)and/or electronic ink input. If desired, individual portions of the formportion 302 could constitute separate input panel “portions.” Of course,any number of input panel portions may be provided in a display and/orby an application program without departing from this invention.

In some conventional pen-based computing systems, as new input was beingentered into the system using the pen, the operating system would delayprocessing the pen input until it determined the type of input the userdesired (e.g., whether the user intended to enter tap input, dragoperation input, press-and-hold activation input, ink entry input,double tap input, etc.). By delaying processing and balancing variousthreshold parameters associated with the typical pen input (e.g.,pen-down time length, pen movement during a pen-down event, etc.), thesystem eventually would make a determination of the type of inputgesture desired, and once this determination was made, it would processall of the input data from the beginning of the pen-down event, ifnecessary.

Aspects of the present invention take advantage of the fact that in atleast some application programs, and/or in at least some areas orportions of an input panel for an application program, a user will neverdo certain things, and/or the user is much more likely do some thingsand much less likely to do other things. Accordingly, applicationprograms may “expect” certain types of input at or within certainportions of an input panel generated by the application program. Forexample, within buttons (such as icons A through D shown in FIG. 3), auser typically will never draw or enter electronic ink, but he or she isvery likely to tap the button (e.g., as a single “click” action),and/or, in at least some instances, he or she may double tap or activatea “press-and-hold” gesture. As another example, within a drawing orelectronic ink entry surface (such as in the form portion 302 shown inFIG. 3), a user will never (or at least rarely) tap or double tap etc.As still other examples of expected input types, within a start menu,task bar, or other input panel display including buttons, menu items, or“icons,” users are much more likely to tap the buttons, menu items, oricons, although they also may wish to “drag” these elements to otherlocations in the interface. Users typically would not (or in some cases,would never) intend to insert electronic ink on such buttons, menuitems, or icons. As still another example, some input panels includeclosely spaced icons or menu items. In such systems, users may beexpected to single tap these targets, but they may not be very likely towant to double tap on them (they may, however, wish to single tap on twoclosely spaced elements in rapid succession).

In accordance with at least some examples of this invention, theapplication program can communicate information to the operating system(e.g., a “system gestures profile”) that informs the operating system ofthe type of input, such as a type of input gesture, to expect at a giventime (e.g., depending on the currently active mode of operation) and/orwithin a given portion of an input panel (e.g., an “expected inputgesture type” for that time and/or location). As examples, theapplication program may send the operating system a system gesturesprofile that indicates that at least some portion of an input panel: (a)is expected to receive one exclusive type of input (an “exclusiveexpected input gesture type,” such as tap input or electronic inkinput), (b) is expected to never receive one or more types of input (an“excluded input gesture type,” such as “cannot receive ink,” “cannotreceive a tap,” etc.), (c) is more likely to receive one or more typesof input as compared to other types, even though other types of inputmight be possible (a “preferential expected input gesture type”), and/or(d) has no preferential type of input expected (a “non-preferentialexpected input gesture type,” e.g., one type of input is substantiallyas likely to be received as any other type of input). Once the systemgestures profile is received, the operating system may set or adjust atleast one gesture recognition parameter (or threshold) for use whenreceiving user input directed to the portion of the input panel to whichthe system gestures profile relates. More detailed examples follow.

As one example based on FIG. 3, the application program may “inform” theoperating system, via the “system gestures profile,” that input receivedin the portion of the input panel 300 corresponding to icons A through D(e.g., directed to the area of the input panel 300 occupied by the iconsA-D) is more likely to constitute a tap operation than other gestures,such as a double tap, a press-and-hold action, or a dragging action.Additionally or alternatively, the application program may “inform” theoperating system, via the “system gestures profile,” that input directedto or received in the portions of the input panel corresponding to anyof icons A through D in FIG. 3 cannot constitute electronic ink input(e.g., electronic ink may be an “excluded input gesture type” at thelocations of the icon portions of the input panel 300).

Based on the information contained in the system gestures profile, theoperating system may change or adjust various gesture recognition timingparameters and/or other thresholds to optimize the manner in whichdifferent potential input gestures can be distinguished from one anothergiven the expected input types. For example, if a portion of the inputpanel is expected to predominantly receive single tap input, but alsopossibly could receive icon location dragging input, double tap input,and/or press-and-hold input, and cannot possibly receive electronic inkinput (such as icons A through D in the example of FIG. 3 describedabove), when pen input is received within or directed toward thelocations of icons A through D on the input panel, the operating systemcan be advised of the expected input types by the application program,and the operating system then can set its parameters to preferentiallydistinguish the input between the most likely tap input vs. the lesslikely double tap, drag, and/or press-and-hold inputs, withoutconsidering the possibility that the input might constitute electronicink input.

As a more concrete example, assume that within a certain area of aninput panel (e.g., icons A-D in input panel 300 of FIG. 3), pen input inan application program may take on the following forms: (a) a singletap, (b) a double tap, (c) activating a dragging operation, and (d)activating a press-and-hold operation, but the single tap input is muchmore likely than the other types of input. For a conventional operatingsystem, which operates on the premise that all of these potential typesof input are equally likely, the following example parameters and/orthresholds may be used by the operating system in distinguishing thevarious potential types of input:

-   -   (A) A single tap may be distinguished from a double tap        (assuming that both “tap” events have time and movement        characteristics corresponding to a tap gesture) when a second        pen-down event closely follows an initial pen-down event in both        time and location (e.g., if a second pen-down event occurs        within 0.25 seconds and within a 4 pixel radius of an initial        pen-down event, a double tap action is activated, otherwise two        single tap actions or a single tap and other appropriate action        is performed);    -   (B) A single tap may be distinguished from a dragging operation        due to the length of the pen-down event and/or the amount of        movement during the pen-down event (e.g., if the pen-down event        lasts longer than 0.25 seconds and/or if the pen moves more than        4 pixels during the event, a dragging operation is activated,        otherwise single tap action is activated); and    -   (C) A single tap may be distinguished from a press-and-hold        operation due to the time length of the pen-down event provided        that less than a predetermined amount of pen movement occurs        during the pen-down event (e.g., if the pen-down event lasts        longer than 0.25 seconds and the pen moves less than 4 pixels        during the event, a press-and-hold operation is activated,        otherwise single tap action is activated).

While systems and methods according to examples of the invention stillmay use these same general parameters and thresholds to distinguish oneinput gesture from the other, at least in some instances, the operatingsystem also may change or adjust one or more of these parameters andthresholds to preferentially and/or more quickly recognize the morelikely type of input as opposed to the other types of input, based onthe system gestures profile information sent from the applicationprogram. In other words, in a portion of an input panel in which onetype of input is preferentially expected, the operating system mayadjust the parameters or thresholds such that the user will have to takemore care to activate the less likely input types. Any desired thresholdor parameter may be changed and/or adjusted in response to a systemgestures profile without departing from the invention. For example, thechanged parameters or thresholds may include at least one memberselected from the group of: a minimum pen movement threshold distance, amaximum pen movement threshold distance, a minimum pen-down thresholdtime, a maximum pen-down threshold time, a minimum consecutive pen-downspacing threshold distance, a maximum consecutive pen-down spacingthreshold distance, a minimum consecutive pen-down time differencethreshold, and a maximum consecutive pen-down time difference threshold.Additionally or alternatively, if desired, new parameters or thresholdsmay be included for consideration and/or some parameters or thresholdsmay be eliminated from consideration in response to receipt of a systemgestures profile.

Returning to the more specific example above in which an applicationprogram sends a system gestures profile to an operating systemindicating that icons A through D of input screen 300 in FIG. 3 willpreferentially receive single tap input, but also possibly could receivedouble tap, press-and-hold, or drag input, the operating system mayadjust or change the thresholds and parameters, for example, asdescribed below:

-   -   (A) A single tap may be distinguished from a double tap        (assuming both “tap” events have time and movement        characteristics corresponding to a tap gesture) based on the        following example: if a second pen-down event occurs within 0.15        seconds and within a 2 pixel radius of the initial pen-down        event, a double tap action is activated, otherwise two single        taps or a single tap and other appropriate action are performed        (thereby requiring the user to more quickly and more precisely        conduct the double tap action if a double tap is intended and        making activation and recognition of the single tap action        easier, as compared to the non-preferential example described        above);    -   (B) A single tap may be distinguished from a dragging operation        based on the following example: if the pen-down event lasts        longer than 0.35 seconds and/or if the pen moves more than 6        pixels during the pen-down event, a dragging operation is        activated, otherwise single tap action is activated (thereby        making the user drag the object for a longer time and/or a        longer distance to activate a drag operation and making        activation and recognition of the single tap action easier, as        compared to the non-preferential example described above); and    -   (C) A single tap may be distinguished from a press-and-hold        operation based on the following example: if the pen-down event        lasts longer than 0.35 seconds and the pen moves less than 2        pixels during the event, a press-and-hold operation is        activated, otherwise single tap action is activated (thereby        making the user hold the pen down longer and in a more stable        location to activate the press-and-hold operation and making        activation and recognition of the single tap action easier, as        compared to the non-preferential example described above).        Of course, different and appropriate adjustments may be made to        the various thresholds and/or parameters in the event that the        system gestures profile sent by the application program to the        operating system indicates that a portion of the input panel        preferentially will receive ink entry, double tap,        press-and-hold, or dragging operations, so that these gestures        will be more easily recognized and/or that the user will have to        act more precisely or longer to activate one of the other        non-preferred input types in that portion of the input panel.

If the system gestures profile sent by the application program to theoperating system indicates that a specific portion of the input paneldoes not have a preferential expected gesture type (e.g., a specificportion of the input panel is designated as a non-preferential inputgesture type, no system gestures profile is sent for the input panel ora portion thereof, etc.), the operating system may leave the tap vs.double tap vs. press-and-hold vs. dragging operation vs. electronic inkentry parameters and thresholds unchanged from their conventional ordefault settings (e.g., the “conventional” settings described above). Asanother example, if certain operations are not possible within theportion of the input panel (such as press-and-hold or draggingoperations), the system gestures profile may indicate to the operatingsystem that these gestures are not possible (e.g., a specific portion ofthe input panel is designated as having “excluded input types”), and theoperating system can adjust the input recognition parameters orthresholds for this portion of the input panel such that these potentialinput operations need not be considered.

As still another example, some portions of an input panel may be capableof receiving at least both tap input and electronic ink input.Conventional operating systems may distinguish between these types ofinput based on: (a) the length of the pen-down event (e.g., longer than0.25 seconds is considered electronic ink entry, less than 0.25 secondsis considered a tap) and/or the amount of movement during the pen-downevent (e.g., more than 4 pixel movement is considered electronic inkentry, less than 4 pixel movement is considered a tap). When anapplication program sends a system gestures profile to the operatingsystem indicating that a portion of the input panel will“preferentially” receive tap input, the operating system may adjustthese thresholds or parameters for that portion of the input panel, forexample, as follows: (a) a pen-down event lasting longer than 0.35seconds is considered electronic ink entry and less than 0.35 seconds isconsidered a tap, and/or pen movement during a pen-down event of morethan 6 pixels is considered electronic ink entry and less than 6 pixelsis considered a tap (thereby making the user hold the pen down longerand/or move it further to enter electronic ink and making activation andrecognition of the tap action easier, as compared to thenon-preferential example described above). On the other hand, when anapplication program sends a system gestures profile to the operatingsystem indicating that a portion of the input panel will“preferentially” receive electronic ink input, the operating system mayadjust these thresholds or parameters for that portion of the inputpanel, for example, as follows: (a) a pen-down event lasting longer than0.15 seconds is considered electronic ink entry and less than 0.15seconds is considered a tap, and/or pen movement during a pen-down eventof more than 2 pixels is considered electronic ink entry and less than 2pixels is considered a tap (thereby making the user more quickly andprecisely produce a tap action when desired and making entry ofelectronic ink easier, as compared to the non-preferential exampledescribed above). If the system gestures profile sent by the applicationprogram to the operating system indicates that a portion of the inputpanel does not have a preferential expected gesture type (e.g., anon-preferential input gesture types, no profile is sent, etc.), theoperating system may leave the ink vs. tap parameters and thresholdsunchanged from their conventional or default settings (e.g., longer than0.25 seconds and/or more than 4 pixel movement is considered electronicink entry, in the example above).

As still an additional example, the application program may send asystem gestures profile to the operating system that indicates that atleast some portion of the input panel will exclusively receive one typeof input (e.g., an “exclusive expected input gesture type,” such assingle taps only, electronic ink only, etc.). In such an instance,systems and methods according to examples of this invention canimmediately recognize any input received in that portion of the inputpanel as the exclusive expected input type, and immediately beginprocessing the input in that manner. By this same token, the systemgestures profile also may indicate to the operating system that at leastsome portion of the input panel cannot receive one or more types ofinput (e.g., an “excluded expected input gesture type”), and thus theoperating system can take appropriate steps to eliminate collection ofdata and/or evaluation of the parameters required for activating thesegesture types and/or distinguishing these gesture types from others, ifappropriate.

The system gestures profile may set various portions of the input panelcorresponding to an expected input gesture type in any desired waywithout departing from this invention. For example, a given systemgestures profile may correspond to a specific portion of an input panel(such as a button, a window, a row, a column, etc., e.g., defined by X,Y coordinates or other coordinates on the display screen, digitizer orthe like), to an entire input panel, to any portion of the applicationprogram, to regions by name or title, etc. Also, the system gesturesprofile may have a permanent or temporary effect within a given portionof the input panel. For example, if desired, the expected gesture inputtype for a given portion of the input panel may change over time (e.g.,depending on earlier user inputs, previous action or processing, thesystem's presently active mode of operation, etc.). Therefore, thesystem gestures profile sent by the application program for a specificportion of the input panel also may change over time to correspond tothe changes in the expected gesture input type at different times.

The transfer of the system gestures profile from the application programto the operating system also may occur in any desired manner and/or inresponse to any desired stimuli without departing from the invention.For example, in some examples of the invention, the application programmay send information indicating that various features may simply beenabled or disabled within a certain input panel and/or a portionthereof (e.g., enable or disable press-and-hold, etc.). In such systems,part of the information sent from the application program to theoperating system may simply include information in a bit to enable (a“1” value) or disable (a “0” value) a specific feature. In some examplesystems and methods, the operating system may send a message to theapplication program (e.g., as it opens, after it opens, etc.) requestingany system gestures profile data, and the application program mayrespond indicating any exclusive, excluded, or preferred gesture typesfor one or more input panel portions. As another example, a registry ofinformation may be transmitted from the application program to theoperating system, at any appropriate time, indicating any exclusive,excluded, or preferred gesture types for one or more input panelportions. The various input panel portions may be identified, forexample, by X,Y coordinate data on the digitizer (e.g., a givenportion's location on the screen or digitizer), by an input panelportion or window title, and/or in any other desired manner withoutdeparting from the invention.

As additional examples, a system gestures profile may be sent to theoperating system at the time the application program is launched,whenever a specific function, window, or portion of an applicationprogram is launched, opened, or activated, or the like. Such systemgestures profiles may send information relating to all portions of theinput panel or application program, or they may include informationrelating to only one or more individual portions of the input panel orapplication program. In some examples of the invention, the systemgestures profile will be sent as an input panel or window property, as astyle, or as a message, e.g., whenever the input panel or some portionof it is opened, whenever some function or feature is activated,whenever the necessary information is sent to the operating system torender the information to be included on the display screen, or thelike.

An individual input panel (such as panel 300 in FIG. 3) or applicationprogram may have multiple “portions” associated with it, and the same ordifferent system gestures profiles may be used in the differentportions. For example, input panel 300 may have one system gesturesprofile used for icons A through D (e.g., single tap preferred,electronic ink excluded, as described above) and a different systemgestures profile used for the form portion 302 (e.g., electronic inkexclusive, electronic ink preferred, tap excluded, etc.). Optionally, ifappropriate, different system gestures profiles may be used for theindividual icons A through D. Also, if appropriate and desired, variousregions or portions within the form portion 302 may have differentprofiles associated with them. If desired, some portions of the inputpanel having one system gestures profile may overlap with and/orencompass other portions of the input panel having another systemgestures profile.

As noted above, a system gestures profile in accordance with theinvention may be sent by the application program to the operating systemat any desired time and/or in response to any desired stimuli withoutdeparting from the invention. As still additional examples, inaccordance with at least some examples of this invention, systemgestures profiles may be sent from the application program to theoperating system in response to one or more of a pen hover action or apen-down event. For example, as a user moves the pen to enter input intothe pen-based computing system and the pen approaches the screen ordigitizer (e.g., in a hover posture), the location of the pen may besensed by the digitizer, as is known in the art (e.g., using activepens, etc.). The location of the pen on the X, Y coordinates (or othercoordinates) of the digitizer during this hover action (e.g., the pen's“target” location) may be sensed, and the hover action may be used totrigger transmission of the system gestures profile (if any)corresponding to the X,Y coordinates of the target (thereby preparingthe operating system to receive input in this portion). If the targetlocation moves before a pen-down event occurs, e.g., such that adifferent portion of the input panel having a different system gesturesprofile is targeted, then the new system gestures profile may be sent bythe application program.

Also, as mentioned above, if desired, the system gestures profile may besent by the application program in response to a pen-down event thatbegins the gesture. In example systems and methods of this type, thelocation of the pen-down event is fixed, thereby clearly defining thesystem gestures profile (if any) needed for evaluating this pen-downevent. Use of the pen-down event to trigger transmission of the systemgestures profile information eliminates some of the processing involvedin sending gesture profiles in response to all hover actions and/orchanges in hover target locations.

This portion of the specification provides more detailed examples ofspecific methods of implementing various features of the inventionrelating to processing pen input gestures, e.g., as described above.More specifically, this portion of the specification describes exampledefinitions for pen and touch screen input profile bits that may beused, for example, in implementing improved processing of pen systemgestures (such as taps, double taps, press-and-hold operations, etc.);pen targeting improvements; touch; flicks; and the like, as describedabove. In general, “flicks” may constitute a substantiallyuni-directional pen gesture in which a user contacts the user inputdevice with a digitizer in a quick manner and makes a short, essentiallyuni-directional stroke (e.g., a quick “flick” of a pen or finger on adigitizer surface). The system's response to a flick gesture may depend,for example, on the direction of movement of the finger or other inputdevice during the flick event. Various parameters may be used indetermining whether a gesture constitutes a “flick,” such as the speedand/or distance of pen movement, the overall pen-down time, and thelike.

As described above, in accordance with aspects of this invention,application programs may be allowed to provide input and control variouspen and touch behaviors in a given application, window, or area within awindow. Examples of various behaviors that can be controlled in this wayare further described in the table below. This group of settings alsomay be referred to herein as a “local pen and touch input profile.”

In this example of systems and methods in accordance with the invention,the information is local, e.g., it can be set only within a givencontext (e.g., within an application, a window, an area within a window,etc.), and generally it cannot be set globally, everywhere, in allwindows. For changing global settings in various commercially availableoperating systems, changes to the control panel and registry may beused.

The profile information in this example implementation flows from theapplication program into an input subsystem (e.g., one or morecomponents that receive, pre-process, analyze, filter, and/or marshalinput from a digitizer or other input device to the operating system orapplication program, such as the “Windows Ink Services Platform TabletInput Subsystem,” also known as “wisptis,” available from MicrosoftCorporation of Redmond, Wash., e.g., with the Microsoft™ Windows XPTablet PC Edition Version 2002). This input subsystem may obtain a setof bits from the application program that defines the profile. The flowof information can be initiated by wisptis or other input subsystem(referred to as a “pull” model), or by the application program itself(referred to as a “push” model). The “pull” model is discussed in moredetail below.

In accordance with at least some examples of the invention, the profileinformation may be provided in the ways described below. Codepaths forthese ways exist in various known operating system environments, e.g.,for pen input profiles to disable press-and-hold functions. Aspects ofthe present invention relate to extended bit fields to accommodateadditional input for system gesture improvements, targetingimprovements, touch, flicks, and the like, in accordance with examplesof this invention.

Use of the known HWND atom property is one method of providing an inputprofile. This type of profile is a per-window profile. The profileincludes a 32-bit integer stored and/or available on HWND via the knownSetAtom and GetAtom Windows APIs. In use, the client application programmay call using the SetAtom API to provide a combination of all profiles,and/or the input subsystem (e.g., wisptis) may call the GetAtom API toretrieve the profile(s). While the specific SetAtom and GetAtom APIs areidentified above, of course any desired APIs may be provided to setand/or retrieve one or more properties to be associated with a window,control, or input surface. For example, any suitable API may bedeveloped to identify a window or input surface, e.g., in a userinterface. Such APIs may be provided to send and/or receive inputidentifying the window or input surface, e.g., of a user interface, andthey may generate, send, and/or receive output identifying propertiesassociated with that window input surface (e.g., tap only, tappreferred, etc.).

This procedure works well for windowed controls (controls that are onecontrol per-window) and top-level window input profiles. Use of thisoption may not be available in windowless areas within the application,such as in the scrollbars in the Internet Explorer™ application programor in individual elements within various graphical display systemsand/or application programs.

The following property may be used to generate a bitfield for turningvarious behaviors of a window or input panel “on” or “off”:“MicrosoftTabletPenServiceProperty.” This property may be set/managed asfollows (C#):

  DllImport (“user32.dll”, CharSet=CharSet.Auto)] public static externint SetProp(  IntPtr handle,  string atomName,  int data); SetProp( control.Handle,  “MicrosoftTabletPenServiceProperty”,  profile);

As another example, the input profile may be set using, for example, aWindows Ink Services Platform Tablet Input Subsystem message. If wisptisdoes not find a profile as an HWND property in this example system, itmay send a WM_TABLET_QUERYSYSTEMGESTURESTATUS message to the applicationprogram. The message may be sent or relate to a particular window withX,Y coordinates within a larger window (e.g., stored in LPARAM, the X,Yare in screen coordinates). The application program may be designed tohit-test against the contents of the window, and then to compute, send,and/or determine the profile based on what is under the given point X,Y.

Two examples of the use of this procedure include: (a) the InternetExplorer™ application program may hit test whether a point is over itsscrollbar, over its client (trident) area, or elsewhere; and (b) anapplication program for generating graphical displays may hit test thevisual tree and compute profiles off the dynamic properties of theelement hit and its parent chain.

Here is an example of how an application program can respond to theWindows Ink Services Platform Tablet Input Subsystem message:

const int WM_TABLET_QUERYSYSTEMGESTURESTATUS = 0x2DB; const intTABLET_QUERYSYSTEMGESTURESTATUS_DISABLEPRESSAND- HOLD = 0x00000001 constint TABLET_QUERYSYSTEMGESTURESTATUS_PREFERPENTAPS- OVERDRAGS =0x00000002; ... override void WndProc(ref Message message) {  switch(message.Msg)  {  case WM_TABLET_QUERYSYSTEMGESTURESTATUS:   PointptScreen = new Point(SignedLOWORD(message.LParam),SignedHIWORD(message.LParam));  Point ptClient =ScreenToClient(this.Handle, ptScreen);  ... hit test ptClient ...  ...compute “profile” for that point ...  ... useTABLET_..._DISABLEPRESSANDHOLD, TABLET_..._PREFERPENTAPSOVERDRAGS, etc....  message.Result = profile;  break;  default:  base.WndProc (refmessage);  break;  } }

Bits within a profile retrieved via HWND atom property or aWM_TABLET_(—) . . . QUERYSTATUS message may be laid out, for example, asdescribed in the table below. The following is a special note on thedefault case in this example implementation. If HWND atom is not presentand the application is not handling WM_(—) . . . QUERYSTATUS messages,the message may be directed to default WndProc, which will return allzeroes as the profile. In certain cases (e.g., flicks, etc.), operatingsystems and/or application programs may wish to differentiate betweencases in which all zeroes comes as default as compared with cases whereall zeroes come because the application program explicitly set all thevalues to zeroes. To differentiate in this scenario, an additionalspecial profile bit, e.g., called “Application Provided the Profile,”may be used. The table follows:

Bit Mask Question Explanation 0 0x00000001 Pen or Touch Press- 0: noand-hold disabled? 1: yes 1 0x00000002 Prefer pen taps over 0: no (thesystem will pick drags balance of taps vs drags) 1: yes (the system willpick balance of taps vs. drags) 2 0x00000004 Prefer pen drags over 0: no(the system will pick taps? balance of taps vs drags) 1: yes (drags willbe smooth but taps more difficult to make) 3 0x00000080 --reserved forpen-- 4 0x00000010 Disable pen UI? 0: no (pen UI enabled) 1: yes (pen UIdisabled) 5-7 0x000000E0 --reserved for pen-- 8 0x00000100 Touchtargeting 0: no (touch targeting object object will be present)disabled? 1: yes (touch targeting object will be disabled 9 0x00000200Prefer touch taps 0: no (the system will pick over drags balance of tapsvs drags) 1: yes (the system will pick balance of taps vs drags) 100x00000400 Prefer touch drags 0: no (the system will pick over taps?balance of taps vs. drags) 1: yes (drags will be smooth but taps moredifficult to make) 11-15 0x0000F800 --reserved for touch-- 16 0x00010000Disable flicks? 0: no (the system will decide whether to enable flicksor not) 1: yes (flicks disabled) 17 0x00020000 Enable flicks in the 0:no (flicks will not be presence of ink? enabled on a window thatsupports inking or listens to pen or stylus events) 1: yes (flicks willalways be enabled) 18 0x00040000 Enable flick learning 0: no (flicklearning mode mode? disabled) 1: yes (flick learning mode enabled) 19-300xEF000000 --reserved for future use-- 31 0x80000000 Application 0: no(the profile is explicitly provided default) this profile? 1: yes

Generally, in at least some example implementations, the input subsystem(e.g., wisptis) will “pull” the information from the application programjust before the information is necessary. Typically, this information isnecessary at the very beginning of a stroke (e.g., as a pen hovers, asthe pen-down event begins), so the input subsystem may be arranged topull the information on every pen/touch-down event or on every hoverevent.

Notably, the message that is being sent may, in at least some instances,travel cross-process, so it also may need to synchronize with theapplication program's user interface thread (which may require a waituntil the application program is ready to respond to the message). As aresult, it is possible that the application program will not respondquickly in some instances. The default (all zeroes) profile may be usedin those instances. All the questions in the profile, as shown in theTable above, may be structured in such a way that the default has anexcellent chance of working. Notably, this delay case may be relativelyrare such that the issue only will arise when the application program isquite busy doing other processing. The application program's userinterface may appear frozen at that moment. In some instances, theprofile may become somewhat “distorted” or not followed exactly in thatcase. This result may be seen as similar to what happens when a useruses a mouse or keyboard in an application program that is too busy.

As potential alternatives, if desired, in at least some exampleimplementations, the profile request message may be sent earlier intime, before a pen/touch-down event, e.g., in an effort to retrieve andcache a relevant profile that can be used before the application returnswith the answer.

Aspects of the present invention also relate to computer-readable mediaincluding computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performingvarious system gestures profile generation and use methods and/or foruse in various systems having system gestures profiles, including thesystems and methods described above. The computer-readable media mayconstitute computer-executable instructions stored on the variousspecific examples of computer-readable media described above.

B. Dynamic Self-Calibration Processing

As described above, additional aspects of the present invention relategenerally to systems and methods for automatically and dynamicallycalibrating pen-based computing systems. Calibration issues can arise inpen-based computing systems because the input device or pointer is usercontrolled, external to, and independent from the physical computerdevice. Moreover, calibration issues arise because the digitizer devicethat recognizes the physical location of the user input is distinct fromthe display device (e.g., the LCD screen) that the user sees and thatdisplays the user's interaction target. Calibration issues can befurther exacerbated due to the flexible and varying ways that pen-basedcomputing systems can be used. For example, changing the screen betweena slate mode and a convertible mode (e.g., using an associated keyboard)and/or between portrait and landscape orientations can result indifferences in the relative arrangement between the digitizer, thedisplay screen, the user's view of the screen, and/or the user'sinteraction with the screen. Likewise, user positioning with respect tothe screen during input (e.g., near vs. far, directly above vs. a moreside location, etc.) can impact the relative arrangement between thedigitizer, the display screen, the user's view of the screen, and/or theuser's interaction with the screen. Additionally, differences betweenleft handed and right handed user input can affect the relativearrangement between the digitizer, the display screen, the user's viewof the screen, and/or the user's interaction with the screen. Thesefactors, coupled with potential calibration issues that arise due tonoise from underlying electronic components and/or due to calibrationdrift over time, make it desirable to provide ways to keep pen-basedcomputing systems calibrated.

Calibration procedures in accordance with at least some examples of thisinvention will take place automatically, in a background thread, duringnormal user interaction with a pen-based computing system, and/orwithout entering or launching a dedicated or special calibrationapplication or program. In other words, unlike other calibration methods(e.g., where human interaction is necessary in a dedicated program orsystem to generate calibration data), the “self-calibration” proceduresin accordance with examples of this invention will generate calibrationadjustment data automatically, in a background thread, from the mannerin which the user interacts with visual input panel elements on aconventional pen-based computer display.

As one example, small buttons, icons, or other elements present in aninput panel may be used in calibration systems and methods in accordancewith examples of this invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, as isconventional in many graphical user interfaces including those used forpen-based computing systems, the interface may include one or more small“buttons,” page tabs, or icons that the user will “tap” with the pendevice, such as the “close” button 402 or the maximize/minimize button404. Additionally, individual application programs and/or the operatingsystem interface itself may generate small buttons or icons 406 withwhich a user will interact. Because these buttons or the like may bequite small, one can assume that when a user interacts with thesebuttons (e.g., via a pen tap), the user intends to tap the pen tip atthe very center of the button. The system hardware will register ordetermine the actual X,Y coordinates where the user interacts with thedigitizer when attempting to interact with these small buttons (e.g.,buttons 402 or 404) and compare this actual location with the “expected”location of the button. If the system determines that the user interactswith the digitizer at a location consistently offset from the button'scenter location (e.g., if he or she always or almost always taps buttonsabove their center and to the right of center, etc.), this fact may bean indication that the positions of the pen reported from the hardwareare consistently offset from the visual screen locations and/orpositions that the user is actually targeting with the pen. The systemmay use this offset information to change the pen-based computingsystem's calibration data to make the user's interaction location(display location) and the recognized digitizer location more closelycorrespond to one another. This offset data can be collected during useof any type of application program, and it does not require user inputspecially directed to a calibration program, function, or routine.

Other types of input and/or input situations may be used in thecollection of information useful for calibration. For example, systemsand methods according to examples of this invention might be used tomonitor user input characteristics on many areas of the screen. If, forexample, user inputs in most areas of the screen are on target and/orconsistently offset in one manner (e.g., to the right of the center ofsmall buttons), but in one area of the screen (e.g., one particular areaof the screen, one button, etc.), the user consistently hits the penoffset and/or offset in a different manner (e.g., to the left of centerof the small button), this information may indicate a calibrationproblem in that one particular area of the screen. Systems and methodsaccording to examples of this invention may use this offset informationto generate and apply a calibration adjustment in that area of thescreen. Again, offset data of this type can be collected during use ofany type of application program, and it does not require user inputspecially directed to a calibration program, function, or routine.

Activation of self-calibration procedures in examples of this inventionis not limited to user interaction with small buttons or icons with apen or stylus. Rather, any user input that relies upon “fine targeting”procedures may be used in aspects of the invention. For example, in manygraphical user interfaces, users can change input panel window sizes,page margins, and the like, by touching the pen down on an edge of theinput panel window, a margin marker, splitter bars found along dockingwindows, or the like, and then dragging the edge, marker, or bar to thenew, desired location. Examples of size adjustable input panel edges areshown at reference number 408 in FIG. 4. User attempts to “grab” ortouch down on the edge, marker, or bar that fail will result in apen-down event in close proximity to the bar, often followed by a shortdrag and/or another attempt at touching down on the edge, marker, orbar. In some instances (e.g., in some ink-aware or drawing applicationswhere a drawing surface extends adjacent to a resize bar, etc.), ink“erase” or undo actions followed shortly in time by a similar pen-downevent and/or pen movement event to that previously erased or undone maybe used as an indicator that the system did not correctly react thefirst time to “grab” the edge, bar, or marker in the manner that theuser intended. Attempted user action consistently offset from the edge'strue location may indicate a calibration problem, e.g., at least withrespect to one axis of calibration (e.g., an offset from the X or Yaxis). This information may be used by systems and methods according toexamples of this invention to apply a change or adjustment tocalibration data associated with at least some portion of the pen-basedcomputing system.

Calibration changes of the types described above in accordance withexamples of the invention need not occur abruptly or in response to asingle user interaction with an on-screen button or other element.Rather, offset data of this type may be collected over time (e.g., overseveral uses of the computer, after several days or even weeks of use),through numerous user interactions with various different user interfaceelements, and/or at various different locations on the screen, andtrends or patterns relating to the offsets during such interactions(e.g., in certain areas of the screen) may be considered and used indetermining whether to make calibration adjustments and/or the extent ofsuch adjustments. Additionally, calibration adjustments may be madegradually, over time, to better assure that the perceived offsetinformation is accurate and to prevent an abrupt change in the user'sexperience with the computing system. As an example, an “iterative”calibration adjustment technique may be used to better assure that theperceived offset information is accurate and to prevent an abrupt changein the user's experience. If desired, more recently collected offsetdata may be weighted more heavily in determining whether to makecalibration adjustments and/or the extent of such adjustments.

Aspects of the automatic calibration features of this invention also maybe used in combination with at least some of the aspects of processinguser input device gestures as described above. For example, if desired,an application program may “advise” the operating system where itstargets are located so that the operating system could more accuratelyidentify the valid boundaries of input device (e.g., pen tap) targets.This feature could be applied for use with any type of target,including, if desired, custom user interfaces (e.g., generated by theapplication program), optionally with irregular boundaries. In addition,if desired, the application program in this system (as well as the othersystems described above) may include a means for “informing” theoperating system that a specific “click,” “tap,” or “drag” operation was“successful.” As one example implementation, systems and methods inaccordance with examples of this aspect of the invention may “hook” the“close” button so that the application program (or optionally theoperating system directly) can detect successful pen taps through thedisappearance of the window associated with the close button. If thesuccessful tap is detected by the application program, example systemsand methods in accordance with this aspect of the invention will allowthe application program to send information to the operating systemindicating that the desired operation was successful (because theoperating system itself may not know, in at least all instances, when a“click” or “tap” operation was successful in an application program). Ofcourse, other ways of informing the operating system that a user inputaction in the application program was successful or unsuccessful may beused, if desired, without departing from this invention.

Finally, the present invention also relates to computer-readable mediaincluding computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performingvarious self-calibration methods and/or for use in various systemsincluding self-calibration, including the systems and methods describedabove. The computer-readable media may constitute computer-executableinstructions stored on the various specific examples ofcomputer-readable media described above.

V. Conclusion

Various examples of the present invention have been described above, andit will be understood by those of ordinary skill that the presentinvention includes within its scope all combinations and subcombinationsof these examples. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognizethat the above examples simply exemplify various aspects of theinvention. Various changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in theappended claims.

What is claimed:
 1. A system, comprising: an input system for receivinginput; and a processor coupled to a memory, the memory having storedthereon executable instructions that when executed by the processorcause the processor to effectuate operations comprising: running anapplication program, rendering at least a portion of an input panelassociated with the application program, wherein the input panelincludes at least a first input portion and a second input portion,determining if the input is directed toward one of the first inputportion or the second input portion, receiving a gesture profile fromthe application program at least when it is determined that the input isdirected toward one of the first input portion or the second inputportion, wherein the gesture profile includes a first gesture profilewhen the input is determined to be directed toward the first inputportion, and wherein the gesture profile includes a second gestureprofile when the input is determined to be directed toward the secondinput portion, and setting at least one gesture recognition parameterbased on the gesture profile.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thegesture profile is the first gesture profile, the first gesture profiledefines an expected input gesture type for the first portion of theinput panel, and wherein the expected input gesture type includes atleast one member selected from the group of: an exclusive expected inputgesture type, an excluded input gesture type, a preferential expectedinput gesture type, and a non-preferential expected input gesture type.3. The system of claim 2, wherein the exclusive expected input gesturetype includes at least one member selected from the group of: exclusivetap input and exclusive electronic ink input.
 4. The system of claim 2,wherein the preferential expected input gesture type includes at leastone member selected from the group of: preference for a tap input overelectronic ink input, preference for a tap input over a draggingoperation input, preference for a tap input over a press-and-holdoperation input, preference for a single tap input directed toward twoseparate input panel portions over a double tap input directed toward asingle input panel portion, preference for a press-and-hold operationinput over electronic ink input, preference for electronic ink inputover tap input, and preference for a press-and-hold operation input overa dragging operation input.
 5. The system of claim 2, wherein theexcluded input gesture type includes at least one member selected fromthe group of: electronic ink input not possible, tap input not possible,double tap input not possible, and a dragging operation input notpossible.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input is received via auser's finger in contact with a touch screen of the input system.
 7. Amethod, comprising: running an application program on a computingdevice; rendering at least a portion of an input panel associated withthe application program, wherein the input panel includes at least afirst input portion and a second input portion; determining if an inputis directed toward one of the first input portion or the second inputportion; receiving a gesture profile from the application program atleast when it is determined that the input is directed toward one of thefirst input portion or the second input portion, wherein the gestureprofile includes a first gesture profile when the input is determined tobe directed toward the first input portion, and wherein the gestureprofile includes a second gesture profile when the input is determinedto be directed toward the second input portion; and setting at least onegesture recognition parameter based on the gesture profile.
 8. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the gesture profile is the first gestureprofile, the first gesture profile defines an expected input gesturetype for the first portion of the input panel, and wherein the expectedinput gesture type includes at least one member selected from the groupof: an exclusive expected input gesture type, an excluded input gesturetype, a preferential expected input gesture type, and a non-preferentialexpected input gesture type.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein theexclusive expected input gesture type includes at least one memberselected from the group of: exclusive tap input and exclusive electronicink input.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the preferential expectedinput gesture type includes at least one member selected from the groupof: preference for a tap input over electronic ink input, preference fora tap input over a dragging operation input, preference for a tap inputover a press-and-hold operation input, preference for a single tap inputdirected toward two separate input panel portions over a double tapinput directed toward a single input panel portion, preference for apress-and-hold operation input over electronic ink input, preference forelectronic ink input over tap input, and preference for a press-and-holdoperation input over a dragging operation input.
 11. The method of claim8, wherein the excluded input gesture type includes at least one memberselected from the group of: electronic ink input not possible, tap inputnot possible, double tap input not possible, and a dragging operationinput not possible.
 12. The method of claim 7, wherein the input isreceived via a user's finger in contact with a touch screencommunicatively connected with the computing device.
 13. A computerreadable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions thatwhen executed by a computing device cause said computing device toperform the instructions comprising running an application program;rendering at least a portion of an input panel associated with theapplication program, wherein the input panel includes at least a firstinput portion and a second input portion; determining if an input isdirected toward one of the first input portion or the second inputportion; receiving a gesture profile from the application program atleast when it is determined that the input is directed toward one of thefirst input portion or the second input portion, wherein the gestureprofile includes a first gesture profile when the input is determined tobe directed toward the first input portion, and wherein the gestureprofile includes a second gesture profile when the input is determinedto be directed toward the second input portion; and setting at least onegesture recognition parameter based on the gesture profile.
 14. Thecomputer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the gestureprofile is the first gesture profile, the first gesture profile definesan expected input gesture type for the first portion of the input panel,and wherein the expected input gesture type includes at least one memberselected from the group of: an exclusive expected input gesture type, anexcluded input gesture type, a preferential expected input gesture type,and a non-preferential expected input gesture type.
 15. The computerreadable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the exclusive expectedinput gesture type includes at least one member selected from the groupof: exclusive tap input and exclusive electronic ink input.
 16. Thecomputer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the preferentialexpected input gesture type includes at least one member selected fromthe group of: preference for a tap input over electronic ink input,preference for a tap input over a dragging operation input, preferencefor a tap input over a press-and-hold operation input, preference for asingle tap input directed toward two separate input panel portions overa double tap input directed toward a single input panel portion,preference for a press-and-hold operation input over electronic inkinput, preference for electronic ink input over tap input, andpreference for a press-and-hold operation input over a draggingoperation input.
 17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14,wherein the excluded input gesture type includes at least one memberselected from the group of: electronic ink input not possible, tap inputnot possible, double tap input not possible, and a dragging operationinput not possible.
 18. The computer readable storage medium of claim13, wherein the input is received via a user's finger in contact with atouch screen.
 19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13,wherein the input is pen input.